Rain fury in Uttarakhand, defence building collapses
Dehradun (PTI): The defence college building in Uttarakhand's Maldevta collapsed on Monday as torrential rains pounded the state, flooding major rivers and their tributaries and causing landslides along the national highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri shrines, officials said.
Several people are feared to be buried in landslides triggered by heavy rains in the state.
Alaknanda, Mandakini and Ganga rivers were flowing above the danger level at Rudraprayag, Shrinagar and Devprayag, the disaster control room here said.
The Badrinath National highway is blocked at a number of places due to landslide debris.There is also information about one person being buried under the debris near Pipalkoti.
In Chamoli district, a flood-like situation has developed along the banks of a dozen rivers, including Alaknanda and its tributaries Pindar, Nandakini and Birhi.
Pindar's tributary Pranmati was also flooded due to landslide. Landslides in the upper reaches of Nandakini have caused the water level of the river to increase in the lower areas.
There are reports of loss of lives due to landslides in Pipalkoti town and surrounding areas on Badrinath National Highway.
River Ganga is flowing at the danger mark in Rishikesh, Junior engineer central water commision Sunny Vishnoi said.
The commission recorded 435 mm of rainfall in Rishikesh on Sunday night.
Heavy rains have also inundated various low lying areas in Rishikesh, including Chandreshwar Nagar and Sheesham Jhari.
The rural areas near Rishikesh have been flooded with the State Disaster Response Force evacuating people to a safer places.
Bangala Nala, Saung and Suswa rivers are also overflowing in the Rishikesh countryside.
VIDEO | Dehradun Defence College building in Uttarakhand's Maldevta collapses amid incessant rainfall. More details are awaited.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 14, 2023
(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/YUZJozBkGz
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TN polls: TVK pushes DMK behind with leads in 83 seats, AIADMK ahead in 54
Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.
About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.
If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.
While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.
A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.
According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.
Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.
BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.
AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.
DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.
